That moment of peace was short and sweet. Emphasis on short. I felt so weak. Why didn't I fight back? It's so hard to be hurt by someone who used to love you... someone who you used love.
***
It took a while for me to force myself back to my feet. I had to find my way back after all. I laugh to myself. "It sure is great being back home these past 48 hours." After and hour or so of walking, I find where I parked. After breathing a sigh of relief I get back home. It's well past midnight... still no sign of Jess. Though I would really just like to crawl into bed, my best friend is always home on time and it scares me that she isn't. I call her, no answer. I call Bryan. "Hello?" he answered. "Hey, sorry to bother you, this is Lela. Is Jess with you?" I ask. "Yeah she's been passed out on my couch since this morning." he answered. I knew she was lying. Why would she lie about that? "Okay, I want her to call me as soon as she gets up though okay? Please take good care of her." I replied. "Will do. Goodnight." "Goodnight." That's a relief... kind've. I take a long shower and crawl into bed. I wake up to someone in the kitchen, no calls from Jess. I grab the bat I keep under my bed and sneak into the hallway. Jess and Jesse are both in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. "Jeez you guys, give a girl a warning." I call out. Jess swivels around on the bar stool, and Jesse puts his pancake flipping on pause. "Gah kid, can I get one morning where you don't pull a bat out on me?" he says playfully. I laugh, "What are you doing here? And Jess, you were supposed to call me." I said. "I didn't want to wake you." replied Jess. "Mikey told me you ran off yesterday morning and left your car... he didn't think you would see him so he asked me to come check on you." said Jesse. I approach them and sit down with Jess. Their expressions changed rapidly. "What?" I ask. Jesse holds out my hand to look at my wrist and back up at my eye.'I forgot about the bruises... they must look awful. "What the hell happened?!" Jess exclaimed, loudly. I didn't want them to know. "Oh! You must be looking at the bruises." I said nonchalantly. "I hit a curb weird and fell off my bike onto the pavement, it's fine." I explained nervously. "Oh, honey. I'm sorry." Jess said with compassion. However Jesse didn't break eye contact. He didn't buy it. I forced myself to yawn. "Ya know what guys? I'm still pretty beat, I'm gonna go back to bed if you don't mind." I said. "Of course not, holler if you need us." Jess reassured. Jesse was still staring at me expressionless. I crawled back into my blankets just to have the weight of everything come down on me like a ton of bricks. I cried there under my blankets until I fell asleep.
